What Really Makes A Family?
by nofearonlylove
Summary: Sharon/Rusty story. Sharon's finding it difficult dealing with Daniel Dunn possibly taking Rusty away from her. Story told in Sharon's POV. Sharon/Andy Pairing MAY occur in later chapters. FIRST STORY EVER. Please R/R!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This is my first published fan fiction on this website. I was inspired by the photos released for episode nine of Major Crimes. For some reason, to me they looked like some sort of a goodbye between Sharon/Rusty, and this is how I think Sharon feels about the whole thing. I hope you enjoy it! Please R&R!**

Sharon Raydor was never one who prided herself on doing the wrong thing. She prided herself as someone who always did the _right_ thing. It wasn't easy, because a lot of the time it pained her to make decisions based on someone else's best interests, instead of her own. But right now, all she wanted to do was lock Daniel Dunn in a jail cell and throw away the key.

It didn't make sense, really. The man had no criminal record, and he seemed like a decent, responsible man. Honestly, she wished he had a drug related past, or even a slightly violent past. Any blemish on his record would do. It would give her more of a chance to fight to keep Rusty with her, where he belonged.

At the thought of Rusty, she leaned back in her desk chair, slipped her glasses off and sighed dramatically. It was getting late, everyone was phasing out of the office for the evening, but Sharon was lost in her thoughts. Of course, these were truly selfish thoughts on her part. After all, Rusty deserved a good father, and over the last few weeks she really WAS happy to see that he was becoming closer with the man. But she couldn't deny the sadness she felt every night when he came back home to her, only to express his excitement at seeing his father again tomorrow.

"Get a grip, Sharon. Rusty was never yours to keep. He deserves a biological link to his past. You should be happy for him. You've got your own kids anyway. Kids that love you…" She sighed sadly, picking up the framed photo she kept of them on her desk. "Kids that never come to see you anymore…" _Great. Now she was talking to herself._

She rested her chin her hands, realizing that the real problem here was that she was sick and tired of coming home to an empty condo. Rusty changed all of that and she got used to it. She had told him she would miss him if he went away, and that was an understatement. She suddenly felt tears forming in her eyes, and she shook her head and wiped a stray tear away as she took a deep, shaky breath. She loved that boy, and he could be taken away…at any time.

Louis Provenza shook his head slightly as he watched the Captain sitting alone in her office, seemingly lost in a deep thought. He hated to admit it, but he felt terrible watching her go through all she was going through with Rusty. He had seen a different, dare he say _human_ side of Captain Raydor that he didn't think existed when Rusty was around. She tended to confide in him when it came to Rusty, so he thought that now would be a good time to interrupt her thoughts.

He knocked firmly. "Captain?"

Sharon wiped her face quickly and leaned back in her chair, putting her glasses back on. "Yes, Lieutenant…come in."

Provenza took in the sight of her. He could tell she had been crying, her eyes were slightly red and she looked flustered. "I was uhhh…just wondering how Rusty has been. How's his outings with Mr. Dunn?"

Sharon looked down a moment and took a deep breath. _Keep it together, Sharon_. "Oh…well…he's doing great. He and Daniel seem to be getting along beautifully and he seems happy…"

Provenza nods, sitting down in one of the chairs that were neatly placed in front of her desk. "I see. And what about you?"

Sharon looked up, surprised at the question. "What about me, Lieutenant?"

He smirked a little at the reaction. "How have _you_ been?"

Sharon pondered the question for a moment. "Honestly? I don't particularly like the situation."

Provenza nods. "Nor do any of us. We've all gotten used to the kid around here. Flynn especially. Every time he sees that Dunn guy around here he rolls his eyes and looks like he wants to beat the shit out of the guy."

Sharon shrugs. "Well, there isn't much we can do about it. The DNA results showed that Daniel is Rusty's biological father. All he has to do is take this to court, and Rusty would be his. I'm sure Rusty will be all too eager to get out of my place, he's practically over the moon every time he comes home at night from his outings with him. He wouldn't fight him, that's for sure."

The bitter tone to Sharon's voice as she said the last last two sentences were not lost on Provenza. "I don't think so, Sharon. That kid knows how good he's got it with you. I don't think he is ready to give up on you that easily."

Sharon swallowed, turning away to gaze out into the rest of the now empty office. _And I'll never be ready to give up on him._ "Well…I won't get my hopes up…" She turned back to look at him. "Anything else I can do for you, Lieutenant?"

"No, Captain. Just…don't jump to conclusions about this 'father' of his. The man knows how to have fun with a sixteen year old, but does he know anything about raising one? Think about it." He gets up and starts to walk out of the room.

"Lieutenant?"

Provenza turns back around. "Yes, Captain?"

She smiles gratefully at him. "Thank you."

He shrugs. "No problem. Have a good night, Captain. It's getting late. I'm sure Rusty is waiting up for you."

Sharon nods slightly. "You're probably right. I'll see you tomorrow. Drive carefully."

"You, too." And with that, he was gone, leaving Sharon feeling slightly brighter about her future with Rusty than she did before. Maybe he was right. Rusty's father might have been a nice man who was fun to hang out with, but was he a good father?

Sharon grabbed her purse out of her bottom drawer and headed out, eager to get home to Rusty.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: First of all, I want to thank you all for the reviews, follows and favorites! It really gave me the boost I needed to continue with the story! You guys are the best! No Andy in this chapter but I promise you that he WILL be in the next one! ENJOY!**

Sharon didn't realize how tired she was until she got off the elevator at her complex. She yawned quietly, covering her mouth with the back of her hand as she made her way to her condo. She turned the key, noting how Rusty left the hall light on for her. He must have gone to bed. She sighed. She was disappointed, as she hoped to see him today. But a murder can happen at any time, and she had been at the station all day.

She put her purse down on the small table near the door and slipped off her shoes. Stilettos were beautiful on the feet but by the end of a long day like this one, they were screaming bloody murder at her.

Feeling more relaxed already, she realized that she had better eat something before heading off to bed. She hadn't eaten since breakfast, and her stomach was making some obnoxious noises. She headed over to the kitchen to make herself a sandwich.

Opening the fridge, she was surprised to see a tupperware container with a piece of paper on it, her name scrawled on the top in Rusty's messy handwriting. She smiled to herself as she took it out of the fridge, opening up the note to read. **Sharon, I made some chicken and rice. I figured you would be hungry when you got home. Hopefully I will see you in the morning. Enjoy.**

Her smile only got wider as she finished reading the note. She shook her head to herself and popped the container in the microwave. She should have known Rusty would have made something for her. He had done it so many times, despite the fact that she had told him he didn't have to. It made her feel bad. She didn't want to make him feel obligated the way he had probably felt living with his mother. But he had told her liked cooking, it was relaxing to him.

While the food was heating up, she headed over to Rusty's room, peaking in to see if he was sleeping. He was curled on his side, his iPod headphones dangling off of the bed as he slept. She walked into the room and pried the iPod out of his hands, wrapping the headphone chord around it and placing it on the night table beside the bed. She reaches down and pulls the comforter up under his chin, careful not to wake him. She couldn't believe how peaceful he looked when he was asleep, it gave her such a warm and calm feeling inside.

She quietly walked out of the room, closing his door behind her and headed back to the kitchen where her chicken and rice was waiting. As usual, it was delicious. She rinsed off the tupperware and her dishes and placed them in the dishwasher, then headed over to her bedroom to get some much needed and deserved rest.

The next morning, Sharon opened her eyes and rolled over, glancing at her alarm clock. 9 AM. It was a Saturday and if there wasn't a murder, she indulged herself and slept in. She yawned and stretched before swinging her legs off the side of her bed, getting up and grabbing her robe from her closet before stepping into her slippers and heading out to the kitchen to make some coffee.

She sat reading the paper for quite some time, sipping on her coffee, before she heard Rusty's bedroom door open and she looked up to see him dragging himself into the kitchen. She had to chuckle to herself. Why was it that teenagers could sleep for 12 hours a night and still complain about it in the morning? "Morning, Rusty."

Rusty looked up at her and yawned. "Hey, Sharon." He headed over to the coffee pot to pour himself a cup of coffee, then plopped himself at the dining room table next to her. "What's the news like this morning?" He smirked, knowing that the news tended to irk her, as she dealt with murder and death every day anyway.

She looked up at him, her eyes gazing at him in mock annoyance over the paper. "You know I only read the entertainment section and ads of the paper, Rusty."

Rusty smiled. "Yea, I know that. Just thought it would get you going. What time did you get in last night?"

Sharon took a sip of her coffee and folded the paper, placing it in front of her. This was a morning routine for the two of them on his non-school days when she wasn't at the station working on a murder. They would have long conversations, usually something that started with small talk. "I don't know. A little after midnight, I guess. You turned in early?"

Rusty shrugged. "Not really. Fell asleep around 11 I guess. Did you eat the chicken and rice?"

Sharon smiles and nods. "Yes, it was delicious. Thank you. You know you…."

"…Don't have to." Rusty finished her sentence for her. "Yea, I know you say so every time I cook something for you but it's fine, Sharon. Really."

She just smirks and nods. "Want some breakfast?"

Rusty's face practically lit up. "Sure. Pancakes?"

She smiled at him and stood up, taking her coffee mug with her. "Pancakes it is."

Rusty leans agains the island in the kitchen, watching her as she gathered all the ingredients necessary to make the pancakes. "Sharon can I have some…"

"Chocolate chips! Yes, can you grab them for me?" Sharon should have known better. He always asked for the chocolate chips, and although she didn't really approve, she figured being a growing male teen did have it's advantages, as the kid's metabolism was ridiculously high.

Rusty headed over to the pantry and grabbed the chocolate chips, throwing them to Sharon who caught them effortlessly. "Thanks."

She finished up the pancakes and they sat back at the dining room table, eating in a comfortable silence at first, Sharon pondering how wonderful Rusty's day probably was with Daniel Dunn yesterday. Rusty as usual, finished before her and was up to clean up after himself before she even started on her last pancake. By the time she was finished, he was already done cleaning up his mess, and when she got up to wash her plate and her fork, he took it from her and cleaned it for her. "Thanks."

Rusty just shrugged and smiled. Sharon watched him and leaned back against the counter as he washed the dishes. "So…how was your day yesterday? How was school? How's your….father doing?"

Rusty turned off the water and started drying off the plate. "School's good. English is really interesting but…kinda hard. He's got us reading one EPIC book after another, not all of which are interesting. Did you ever have to read The Odyssey when you were my age?"

Sharon crosses her arms and nods, smiling a bit at him. "Yes. Can't say it's a favorite of mine but…who says high school is supposed to be about reading books you WANT to read, hmm?"

Rusty rolls his eyes. "Whatever, Sharon. All I'm saying is that I'm going to forget The Odyssey and Moby Dick the moment I get out of high school, so I don't really understand the point."

Sharon just nods a bit. "Well…one day you WILL understand the point, believe me."

Rusty starts to put the dishes away, a moment of silence passing between them. "Daniel is great, by the way. We went to the arcade yesterday, played air hockey and lots of other video games, then we caught a movie after that. It was fun."

Sharon's face faltered a bit, although she didn't mean for it to. "That's great." _Had she and Rusty EVER done anything "fun" together before? She honestly couldn't think of anything. Hmmm…_

Rusty nods. "Yea. Hey Sharon?"

She looks up at him. "Yes?"

"Daniel wants to take me to a hockey game late next Friday night. He wants me to stay over his place, says it's time for me to meet his fiancé and her two kids. Can I go?"

Sharon took a deep breath. This was a step she wasn't ready for yet. This was another step Rusty was taking away from her, and it honestly felt like she couldn't breathe. As usual though, she pulled herself together before he could even notice she was upset. "Sure you can. I think…that's a good thing. Meeting his family and all…"

Rusty nods. "Yea well…I'm a little nervous I mean…she's got these two little kids…I'm a lot older than them…."

Sharon nods, suddenly not wanting to stand here and have this conversation anymore. "Everything will be fine, Rusty. You'll see." She reaches over to touch his arm as if to reassure him, then quickly took her hand away.

"You know…I really have to get dressed. I have tons of paperwork to catch up on from the case we solved yesterday, plus the one we picked UP yesterday so…I'm gonna go hop in the shower." She took a deep breath again, needing to get the hell out of the kitchen and away from Rusty for just a minute. "You have plans with Ryan today, right?" Ryan was Rusty's friend from the chess team, a rambunctious but good kid and he and Rusty were definitely a pair when they were together.

"Uhh yea…he's coming over at around 3 and we're gonna hang out…" He could tell that Sharon was dying to get away from him for some reason. "Is everything okay?"

Sharon just nods. "Everything's fine. I'll umm…probably be leaving right after I get dressed so I'll see you later when I come home, okay?"

Rusty nods. "Sure. Okay. Well…I'm gonna go catch up on my homework, I guess. Get it over with."

Sharon was already walking towards her bedroom. "Sounds great, Rusty."

Rusty heard the door close behind Sharon before he could even say "Bye, Sharon. See you later."

Sharon leaned back against her bedroom door, finally letting the tears fall down her cheeks. This was really happening. She was losing Rusty and she felt like there was nothing she could do about it. She wipes at her face angrily. She hated crying, it didn't solve anything or make anything better. But ever since Daniel Dunn came into their lives, it's all she felt like doing.

She headed over to her bathroom and stripped down to nothing, stepping into the steaming hot shower, letting the water wash away her tears and her anxiety right along with them. She refused to let herself feel bad about this. Rusty was gaining a family, a family who seemed to have no ulterior motives. What else was she supposed to want or need for him, anyway?

Sharon sighed. _Me. He's supposed to need me._


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Thanks again everyone for the wonderful response to this story. I am having fun writing it. I hope you enjoy this next chapter, as it's got a certain Lieutenant in it...**

Sharon waltzed into the Major Crimes office and headed straight for her own office, hoping to bypass anyone that may be working there today. She was not in the mood for conversation, or even small talk. She just wanted to hide out in her office and bury herself in paperwork.

She almost made it to her office door when a gruff voice spoke up behind her. "Captain?"

Sharon spun around. "Yes, Lieutenant Flynn. What can I do for you?"

Andy shrugged. "Nothing. Just wasn't expecting to see you here today unless we caught a case."

Sharon bit her lip, eager to escape into her office so she could be alone. "Yes well, I wasn't able to catch up on my paperwork last night so I decided to come in today and catch up on it while things were a little slower."

Andy could sense that she was not in a particularly good mood. "Everything okay, Captain?"

She rolls her eyes a bit. "Of course. Why do you ask?"

He chuckled. "Captain…I've never seen even you THAT eager to get paperwork done before."

Sharon sighed and looked down a moment, then back up at him. "Well…what's wrong with wanting to get paperwork done?"

Andy crossed his arms in front of him, giving her a skeptical look. "What's going on? Everything okay with Rusty?"

At the mention of Rusty, Sharon could feel her resolve start to give way. She shook her head, turning away from him as if trying to make a run for her office, but he gently grabbed her arm, spinning her around.

"Sharon, what's going on?" He was truly concerned, now.

She took a deep breath, willing the tears that had suddenly welled in her eyes to go away. She looked up at him as he turned her towards him. It was the first time she had heard him call her by her first name. "It's nothing, really. I don't know why I'm so upset over it."

Andy narrowed his eyes. "Is he giving you a hard time?"

Sharon shook her head. "No, no. Nothing like that. He's…well…he's going to be sleeping over Daniel Dunn's house next week. He wants Rusty to meet his fiancé and two kids…and I just…"

Andy nodded knowingly. "You just feel like he's drifting away from you."

She nods, tears filling her eyes again as she looked down at her hands, playing with them, fidgeting. She swallowed. "He's uhhh…well I've gotten used to having him around, that's all…"

He felt terrible for her. He, too, had gotten used to the kid and he didn't really trust Daniel Dunn. He wasn't sure why, it was just a Lieutenant's intuition. "Sharon…have you told Rusty that you want him to stay with you?"

She looked up at him again, a tear escaping and trickling down her cheek. She shook her head. "I can't…I can't do that…."

Andy reached over and put his hand on her shoulder, squeezing gently. Seeing Sharon Raydor cry was heartbreaking. "Sure you can. Sharon, that kid has waited pretty much his whole life for someone like you to walk into it. He's only 16 but I am pretty sure he knows that. Maybe he isn't sure how YOU feel about him."

She wiped her tears away and cleared her throat. "Yea well…I'm not going to keep him from his father…." She stared straight ahead, at nothing. "I never should have…let myself get attached to him, Andy. I knew from the beginning that this was never going to be a permanent thing. I guess I just hoped…"

Andy sighed and interrupted her. "Sharon…you haven't done anything wrong. There is nothing wrong with loving that kid…"

Her head snapped towards him and her eyes widened. "Yes, well…it isn't going to matter once Daniel takes this to court. But it's fine. I'll move on with my life. I have this new position and since you all seem to be handling the fact that I am in charge now much better than you were before, I'm actually beginning to enjoy it."

Andy had to smile at that. "Hey…we tend to not react well to change. But you knew how to handle that, Sharon. You're a good leader."

She nodded and smiled sadly at him. "Thank you, Lieutenant."

Suddenly he reached over and put his arms around her, leaning down a bit to whisper in her ear. It was out of character for him, but he didn't care. He didn't like seeing her upset, regardless of their past relationship. "Sharon, everything will be fine regardless, you are right about that. But don't give up on Rusty. He needs someone to fight for him. I regret not fighting hard enough for my own kids when they needed me the most. Don't make the same mistake."

She let out a shaky breath as Andy held her. She was surprised at the action at first, but let herself relax in the embrace. "I do love him, Andy. I really do. I know that this shouldn't hurt so much but…it does…it….hurts…"

He nods and holds her a little closer to him. "Shh…I know. Do you want me to talk to him? He tends to listen to me."

She shakes her head, resting her head on his shoulder. "No, no. You don't have to. But you are right…I should tell him how I feel."

Andy reluctantly pulls back, keeping his arms around her waist. It felt oddly comforting and completely normal for him to be holding onto his Captain this way. "Yes, and make it sooner than later, all right? Living with regret is not an easy thing to do, especially when it has to do with the people you love."

Sharon glanced around the office, making sure that they were alone before she cupped his cheek in her hand, gently caressing the scruff there with her thumb. "It's not too late for you, either, Andy. I'm sure your kids need you, too. You should call them, try to make amends…"

He swallowed and cleared his throat, trying to bite back the emotion he was feeling at the thought of his children. "I do try, Sharon. I try every single week. They are finished with me, I know that. But I'll never stop trying…."

She smiled and nodded, dropping her hand and stepping out of his embrace. She suddenly felt awkward. Why did she caress his cheek? Why did she allow herself to become so vulnerable in front of him? "I…I'm sorry for getting so emotional. Rusty is a soft spot for me, I guess."

Andy shakes his head, holding his hands up as if to indicate that it wasn't a problem. "He's a soft spot for all of us. I understand. Don't worry about it."

She nods and tucks her hair behind her ears, clearing her throat, the Police Captain mask back in place. "Thank you, Andy…for the talk. I'm going to finish up that paperwork and head out of here as early as I can. I know Rusty and I need to have a talk, now."

Andy smiles. "No problem, Captain. Just make sure you make him understand how much he'd be giving up if he left you."

Sharon swallows again, nodding at him. "I'll try." She turned around to walk towards her office, stopping at her door. She spun around slowly to look at him once more. "Don't give up on your kids, Andy. One day they are going to want you back. I'm sure of it."

He nods sadly. "Thanks, Sharon. I'll uhh…see you Monday as long as no one gets themselves murdered in this town before then."

She nods. "See you Monday, Lieutenant."

And then Andy Flynn turned around and started to walk away from Sharon Raydor, both of them wishing that their arms were still around each other.

Three hours later, Sharon walked into her condo and was greeted by the sound of Rusty & Ryan, obviously in an intense but friendly game of chess, a game Sharon was never really good at herself. "Anybody home!"

"In here, Sharon!"

Sharon walked into the living room and saw the two of them sitting indian style on the floor, both of their eyes glued to the chess board. She shook her head and smiled. "You guys are a part of the chess team and when you get together all you want to do is play chess? Get a life! Both of you."

Rusty looked up at her and shrugged. "Would you rather I'd be out scoring extra money for my drug habit?"

Sharon rolled her eyes at him. "Not funny!"

Ryan laughed at the both of them and was about to join in on the conversation when his phone vibrated, signaling a text message had been received. He looked down at his phone. "Oh crap. I forgot I was supposed to watch my little sister tonight while my parents go to some benefit so, I gotta go. My mother is already downstairs waiting for me." He pointed to the chess board as he got up from the floor. "Rain check?"

Rusty gut up. "Sure. I'll see you later, man."

Ryan nods, grabbing his phone and his wallet before heading out, being sure to wave to Sharon in goodbye.

Once the two were alone, Sharon watched as Rusty took a picture of the chess set with his phone so as to be able to set it up this way the next time he and Ryan played, and then started to put the pieces back where they were before. As she watched him, she decided that it was time to bite the bullet. She needed to talk to Rusty and she needed to do it now.

She cleared her throat. "Rusty umm…once you're finished with that…do you mind if we have a little talk?"

Rusty nods. "Sure, Sharon. What's up?"

Sharon shook her head. "Finish up with this. I'll go and start dinner, then we can talk."


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: This was pretty emotional for me to write, so I hope you all enjoy it. It's got some Sharon/Rusty and Sharon/Andy in it so...a little bit for everyone! Thank you all for your continued support! You're the greatest!**

Sharon decided to delay their "talk" until dinner was finished and all the dishes were put away, leaving Rusty feeling anxious. She had been unusually quiet through their meal. Now they sat across from each other in the living room, Sharon on the sofa and he on one of the chairs.

Rusty couldn't take it anymore. "Sharon! What the hell is going on?"

Sharon looked up at him, a little startled by his outburst. "I…I'm sorry I guess I was just looking to find the right words before I started…"

Rusty narrowed his eyes. "Sharon, just tell me what's going on. We've always been straight with each other, let's not stop doing that, now."

She nods at him, swallowing before she started to speak again. "Rusty…I think it's wonderful that you are getting along so well with your father. But you know I have never kept anything from you, and I just, I need you to know that…" She took a deep breath. Why was this so hard for her?

Rusty was truly concerned about her, now. "Sharon…just say it."

She nods and blinks hard, looking up into his eyes. "I need you to know that…I love you like you were my own. As if I was the one who gave birth to you 16 years ago. I need you to know that because if you move away to live with your father, it would be wrong of me to keep it from you…." She had begun to cry and hadn't even realized it.

Rusty's eyes widened and he swallowed hard at Sharon's confession. How long had it been since anyone told him they loved him? He got up from his chair and kneeled down in front of the woman who had become his family over the last few months, taking her hand. He didn't want Sharon to cry, it was heartbreaking. "Hey…don't…don't cry, Sharon. I hate it when you cry."

She smiled at him despite her tears, reaching over to wipe the hair out of his eyes. "I know. I just…" She took a deep breath and looked up for a minute, breathing deeply to calm herself down. She looked back at him again, her voice taking on more of it's usual serious tone. "I do WANT you to be wherever makes you happy. So I don't want you to feel obligated to me, to want to be with me instead of your real father. Please don't think that I am trying to dissuade you, Rusty. I'd never do that. I just want you to to be taken care of, I want you to have structure and to finally live a 'normal' life. Whether that is with me or with your father, I just needed you to know that you aren't a bump in the road to me and you never have been."

Rusty nods. "I know that, Sharon. You didn't even have to tell me that. You've been amazing to me these last few months. You've never lied, you sent me to a great school, and I will never forget what you've done for me."

Sharon tried not to look crestfallen at his words. He had said he'd never forget her, as if preparing for a future goodbye between them. She bit her lip and nodded at him, clearing her throat. "And I will never, ever forget you. I will be here for you always…no matter what happens, okay? You always have a home here, Rusty. You have a home here with me forever."

Suddenly Rusty got up and wrapped Sharon up into a bone crushing hug. "I love you, too, Sharon."

The gesture and the words almost caused Sharon to break, so she held him close, squeezing her eyes tightly shut as she sniffled and buried her face into his shoulder. After a minute or so, she kissed the side of his head. "No matter what, you will always be in my heart, okay?"

Rusty just nods, finally pulling back from the safety of her embrace. "Is that all you wanted to tell me?"

Sharon smiles a bit and nods. "For now." She glances at the clock hanging up in the kitchen. "It's after 8 and I am sure you have homework."

Rusty rolled his eyes and sighed dramatically. "I guess." He stands up and squeezes her shoulder a bit. "You gonna be okay in here?" He was concerned, not wanting her to be upset.

She nods. "I'll be fine." She looks up and tries to give him her sternest look. "Bed by 11."

He nods. "Night, Sharon."

"Goodnight, Rusty."

Sharon decided to lounge around after that, popping a DVD in her bedroom and settling down under the covers with some wine and chocolates. She felt particularly vulnerable after her conversation with Rusty, and decided to indulge herself with her favorite silk pajamas, wine and Godiva, along with a nice, weepy chick flick. The chick flick of choice for the evening happened to be "Steel Magnolias".

She was about halfway through the movie when she heard the annoying vibration of her phone go off beside her. She sighed and rolled her eyes. _Oh God, not now. Why did someone have to go and get themselves killed NOW. _She quickly paused the movie and reached over to place the phone to her ear before she even looked to see who it was that was calling. "Captain Raydor."

"Good evening, Captain."

Sharon swallowed, suddenly alert at the sound of his voice. "Lieutenant Flynn. Is everything all right?"

Andy chuckled. "Everything is fine. No murders to report, knock on wood. It's been a rare, slow weekend, hasn't it?"

Sharon laughed a bit, glancing at the clock. It was almost 10 o'clock. Why was he calling her so late? "Yes, it has. What can I do for you, Lieutenant?"

"Nothing. I was just calling to see how your conversation with the kid went tonight."

Sharon had to smile at that. "Oh, so you were checking up on me?"

"If that's what you want to believe, then yes, I guess I am."

She sighed. "It went…well. I took your advice, told him how I felt about him, and what do you know, he loves me, too. I don't know what god it'll do as far as keeping Rusty with me but, it did make me feel a little better about the situation."

She could actually picture the smile on his face through the phone by the tone in his voice. "That's great, Sharon. Really great. Although, I told ya so."

Sharon rolled her eyes but still kept the smile on her face. "Yes, I guess you did."

There was a bit of an awkward silence after that, until she heard Andy's voice again.

"Listen, Sharon I uhhh….was wondering…would you like to go out to dinner this Saturday night? I know Rusty is going to be with the Dunn guy and his wife. Thought you might want some company?"

Sharon pondered the offer, a sad feeling overwhelming her at the thought of being all alone without Rusty for the first time in months on a Saturday night. "Are you asking me out on a date, Lieutenant?"

"Well, if that's what you want to call it, then yes, I am."

Sharon sighed. "Sure, Andy. Sounds great. Thank you for thinking of me."

Andy sighed. "To tell you the truth, I've wanted to ask you to dinner for awhile now."

Sharon's eyes widened at his confession. She couldn't deny she felt the same way, despite the fact that they worked together and this could all blow up in their faces if it didn't work out. "Really?"

"Yea, really. And Sharon, thank you for what you said about my kids. I needed to hear that."

She nods. "I know, Andy. I know. Everything will turn out all right in the end, you'll see."

"I hope you are right. Anyway…it's getting late. I'll let you get some sleep. See you Monday, Sharon."

"Monday, Lieutenant. Goodnight." She suddenly felt butterflies in her stomach. _What was happening here?_

"Goodnight."

Once the call disconnected, Sharon sighed happily and took a long sip from her wine glass. She just agreed to a date with Andy Flynn, and she was actually looking forward to it. Despite the sadness she felt regarding Rusty, the terrible feeling she had had all day was starting to dissipate. Maybe it was because she knew now that she and Rusty were going to be connected in some way for the rest of their lives, no matter what. Or maybe it was because she had just had accepted an invitation to dinner with her handsome Lieutenant. Maybe it was both. All she knew was, she felt better than she did this morning.

She placed her wine glass on her night table and grabbed her remote control, hitting the play button and settling herself back under the covers, popping a piece of chocolate into her mouth. _Maybe everything was going to be all right, after all…._


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: This chapter is a _little_ shorter than the others, and does have a bit of a cliffy at the end. Enjoy, and I just love all your reviews. You guys are the greatest. I too, am a big Rusty/Raydor fan. I guess this story is a little AU, but I am trying to fill in gaps as far as they are concerned. Thanks again!**

Unfortunately, or fortunately, Sharon couldn't decide, Saturday night came quickly. The Major Crimes crew had dealt with three different murders that week, and she had been too busy to even stop to think about Rusty spending the night at his fathers or her date with Andy. Although, once Saturday afternoon rolled along, she realized she wasn't really ready for either of the events to occur.

Firstly, she didn't have a thing to wear that wasn't a business suit. Why hadn't she realized this before? She had been buried in her closet for the last hour, trying to find something that didn't make her look like a slut but also didn't look like she was going back to the station.

She didn't realize Rusty was standing behind her, leaning against the bedroom door with an amused expression until she turned around and jumped. "Rusty! How long have you been standing there?"

Rusty smirked and shrugged. "Not long. "What's going on, Sharon? You got a date or something?"

Sharon blushed and bit her lip. "As a matter of fact, I do."

Rusty's eyes widened, walking into the room and sitting himself down on her bed. "Really? With who?"

Sharon sighed, turning back to look through her clothes again. "Lieutenant Flynn."

Rusty sighed in relief. At least it was someone he knew, someone he knew and actually got along with. He was also happy to know that she wouldn't be here alone all night. "That's cool, Sharon. You guys are going to dinner?"

She nods. "Mmmhmm. Italian. Of course, I won't be going anywhere if I don't find something suitable to wear."

Rusty got up and started to help her. Eventually they decided on a black pencil skirt with a purple silk blouse. She decided to curl her hair and amp up her makeup a bit. Rusty stood back and smiled. "You look great, Sharon."

Sharon smiled a bit, applying her lipstick. "Thanks. Are you all ready to go?"

Rusty nods. "He should be here soon."

She sighed, suddenly feeling sad again. "Are you nervous?"

He shrugged. "A little bit. I know I don't have anything to prove to anyone but I do hope they all like me."

Sharon smiled, turning around and placing her hands on the sides of his arms. "Of course they will like you. What's not to like?"

He shrugged, looking down. "The fact that I used to perform sexual favors on men for money, how I put those two guys in the infirmary at school, that I…"

Sharon shook her head. "Rusty…none of that matters when it comes to family, you know? If they want you in their lives they will be able to overlook it and just let you in. Please don't worry so much."

He nods, backing away from her a little bit. "Thanks, Sharon."

She nods. "You'll be home by tomorrow afternoon?"

"Yea, I should be. You're gonna be okay, right? I mean…without me?"

She reaches over to give him a quick hug. "I'll be fine. If you need me at all…just give me a call, okay?"

He pulls away slowly. "I will." Suddenly his phone goes off and he checks it. "Looks like he's here. I'll see you tomorrow, okay, Sharon?"

She nods. "Have fun, Rusty. It'll be pretty quiet without you around here…but I'll manage."

Rusty gave a chuckle. "Night, Sharon."

She gave him a little wave and smiled. "Goodnight. Be good."

He nods, grabs his bag and heads out of the house to his first night away from Sharon and the safety of her home.

Forty-five minutes later, she and Andy were sitting across from each other at her favorite restaurant. The atmosphere was light and romantic, and she tried to ignore the fact that her heart skipped a beat when Andy showed up at her door looking more dapper than usual, and how the butterflies came back when he kissed her hand and told her she looked beautiful.

She sat there happily sipping her glass of wine while Andy enjoyed his club soda. She noticed him gazing longingly at her. "You're staring, Lieutenant."

Andy chuckles. "Well…you look amazing tonight, Captain."

She nods a bit, looking at him pointedly. "Yes…so you've said."

"How come you don't wear your hair like that at the office?"

She shrugged. "So rowdy Lieutenant's won't look at me the way you are looking at me right now while I'm trying to solve the latest murder in LA County."

He laughed out loud at that. "I understand. And frankly, I don't think I would like anyone else staring at you the way I am right now."

She smiled, sipping her wine again. They fell into a comfortable silence again, then eased into conversation. It was nice. Sharon felt relaxed with Andy, and vice versa. She didn't stop him when he reached across the table and put his hand over hears, gently caressing the back of her hand with his fingertips. It made her shiver. She was already thinking about how the night would end, and the fact that she was hoping it would end with Andy accepting her invitation into her condo unnerved her a bit. But Rusty was gone for the evening, and she was sure that she and Andy could keep whatever was happening between them out of the office. At least…that's what she hoped.

After ordering a couple of cappuccinos and a chocolate torte for them to share, his expression turned serious. "How do you feel about Rusty being gone tonight?"

Sharon shrugged. "A little sad, apprehensive. I worry about him. He seemed nervous about it. I hope that they treat him right. He's been through so much."

Andy clears his throat. "If they screw with that kid in any way, I don't know what I would do."

Sharon nods. "I know. I feel the same way." She swallowed and looked down for a moment before looking back at him, into his eyes. "I'm happy I came out with you tonight, Andy. It sure beats sitting in an empty house thinking about how Rusty is doing without me…wondering if he misses me as much as I already miss him."

Andy reaches over and squeezes her hand. "He'll be fine, Sharon. And he'll be back with you tomorrow."

Sharon nods. "I know…but I worry about him as much as I worry about my other kids, you know?"

"I know."

They are interrupted by the arrival of the coffee and dessert, and Sharon is happy to get her mind off of Rusty again, even if it's just for a minute. As they are finishing up their dessert, Sharon's phone suddenly starts going off, signaling a text message.

Sharon wiped her mouth and her hands before gazing down at her phone, seeing that the message was from Rusty. She quickly picked up the phone to look at the message, her stomach suddenly twisting in knots as she read it. _Sharon, can you come pick me up? I'm at 1300 Park Drive. I'm sorry for interrupting your night but I can't stay here anymore and I want to come home._

She responded in the affirmative, knowing that something must have happened for him to want to come home instead of sleep over. She looked up at Andy who was gazing at her with a worried expression on her face. "We need to leave now. Rusty needs me."

Andy signals for the server to give him their bill, then turns to Sharon again, noting how she was trembling. "Is he all right?"

Sharon shook her head. "I don't know. He just told me he wanted to come home."

"All right. Don't worry. We will head over there right now. I'm sure he's fine, Sharon." She hands the server his credit card and asks her to hurry with it as they needed to leave now. She was back with it within a minute, and he quickly signed his name on the receipt, then gave her a $20 for her tip. He grabbed Sharon's hand, and together they left the restaurant, hoping that Rusty really was all right.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Well, I know I worried you all with the ending to the last chapter so here is the next one. I just wanted to let you all know that there are only going to be one or two more chapters after this one, as I think this particular story can only go so far. Enjoy, and thanks again for the support!**

Andy ignored the speed limit as he sped down the streets towards where Rusty was waiting for them. He kept glancing over at Sharon who was fidgeting and playing with her hands, an anxious look on her face. He reached over and took her hand. "Sharon, I'm sure he's all right."

She looked up at him. "I swear to God, Andy if…if they hurt him in ANY way…"

Andy squeezes her hand. "I know. I feel the same way." He suddenly floored it even more, turning on the flashers in his car, not caring if he was breaking the law. He was starting to get anxious himself.

They finally pulled up in front of the house, and Sharon was relieved to see what appeared to be a physical unharmed Rusty waiting for them on the sidewalk. She jumped out of the car the moment Andy put it in park, and ran to him. "Rusty! Are you all right?"

Rusty nods, shrugging and looking down, purposely not looking up at at her. "I'm fine, Sharon." He walks over to the car with her hot on his heels.

She reaches over to touch his shoulder. "Rusty, talk to me."

He shook his head, opening up the car door of the backseat. "I don't want to talk about it okay? Let's just go!"

She opened her mouth as if to protest again but decided to take his lead and got in the front seat, closing the door behind her.

Andy gazed at him through the rear view mirror, noting how the kid sulked and kept his head down. "Glad to see you're all right, man."

Rusty just nods. "Yeah. Thanks for picking me up. I'm sorry if I ruined your….date or whatever."

Sharon spoke up. "It's fine. Don't worry about it, okay? We're just glad you're not hurt…"

It took about 20 minutes to get back to Sharon's complex, the silence of the ride was made only slightly better as Andy held her hand the whole way back, playing with her fingers and caressing the back of her hand. She gazed at him gratefully with tears in her eyes. She was so relieved to have a friend by her side through all of this. She had been tired of taking on everything alone.

When they finally pulled up to the complex, Andy insisted on walking them up and saying goodnight to Sharon properly. Rusty was rushing ahead of them, anxious to lock himself in his room and never come out. Andy shook his head at Sharon who just sighed in concern as she watched Rusty, wondering what had happened that night to make him so upset.

Sharon unlocked the door and Rusty rushed into the house, saying a quick 'goodnight' to Andy over his shoulder as he went into his bedroom and closed the door. Andy watched as Sharon hung up her coat and headed straight to the kitchen to grab her bottle of wine out of the fridge, her shoulders sagging in defeat. She grabbed a wine glass out of one of the cabinets then moved to the island, just starting to open the bottle when he decided enough was enough. He walked up behind her and put his arms around her waist, gently nuzzling behind her ear with his nose. He felt her shiver as he grazed down her neck with his lips, and suddenly the wine was forgotten as she placed the bottle and the glass back on the island.

She turned around in his arms, their noses almost touching, breaths elevated. They stood like that for what seemed like an eternity, until she pulled his face closer to hers and their lips touched. Hesitant only for a moment, her mouth parted and his mouth was on hers, their lips and tongues dancing. She couldn't remember ever being kissed like this, it was as if he was aching for her, and she for him. They kissed until neither of them could breathe, and finally they parted, foreheads touching. She had tears in her eyes as she touched his face with her fingertips. It had been an emotional wreck of a day for her, and here she was, in someone's arms. In Andy's arms. She never wanted to let go. "That was…"

"Amazing." He smiled, finishing her sentence.

She smiled back knowingly, nodding a bit. "It was. Andy…what does this mean? I mean I…I'm your Captain and you are my Lieutenant…I know that professionally this isn't right but….you here with me….THIS feels right. Doesn't it?"

He kisses her forehead, letting his lips linger there for a moment before answering her. "I've never felt something more right in my whole life. And you know what? You and I…we can make this work. I know we can."

She nods almost immediately. "We can."

He finally stepped out of her embrace, reaching for her hand and kissing her knuckles. "Good. Now that I have ended our date properly, I think it's time I head on out of here…"

She nods, knowing that this was the beginning of something wonderful, that there was no need to rush things. "Thank you for everything, Andy. Dinner was amazing and you really helped with Rusty. I'm sorry the night was cut short."

"What can I say? I have a soft spot for that kid."

She nods sadly, suddenly thinking of Rusty sitting all alone in his bedroom, sulking and pondering whatever happened at his father's house earlier in the evening. She cleared her throat. "I think I need to go talk to him so…I'll see you out, _Lieutenant_."

He chuckled at what was apparently a new term of endearment, and followed her as she walked him to the door. She opened it for him and he gave her one more kiss for the road, this one less passionate. "If you need me just call."

"I will. Goodnight."

Sharon headed over to Rusty's room as soon as the door closed behind her, and knocked gently. "Rusty? Can I come in?"

"Sharon, I'm fine!"

She sighed. "Yea well…I want to talk to you. Can I come in?"

She heard him give an exasperated sigh. "Fine."

She walked into the room, seeing him sitting up in his bed, flipping through the channels on the TV, a sulking expression on his face. He looked up at her and gave her a noncommittal wave. "I told you I was fine."

She nodded a bit and let out a hum, letting him know that she didn't believe him, sitting down on the bed beside him. "Are you going to tell me what happened tonight?"

Rusty just shrugged.

She sighed. "Rusty, you can trust me, you can tell me what happened." She took a deep breath. "Did they hurt you in any way?"

Rusty shook his head.

"Rusty…please talk to me. I don't like seeing you like this. It reminds me of…before…when you first came here to live with me. I don't want you to shrink back into that shell again. Please…tell me what happened."

When Sharon saw that there were tears in his eyes, it took all of her restraint not to take him into her arms and hold him, but she knew that Rusty liked his space, so she held back. He took a few deep breaths and finally started to talk, knowing he could trust her. "At first, things were going well. I met his fiancé, Catherine, and her two kids, Abby & Dylan. They are cute kids, I guess. But once they went to bed, things…changed…"

Sharon's eyes narrowed. "In what way?"

Rusty shrugged again, a teenage habit that Sharon wished would disappear. "Catherine took me aside, told me that there was no way in hell she was letting a little man slut like me into her house with HER kids…."

Sharon gasped. "What?"

Rusty looked at her, the tone of his voice taking on an icy tone. "Well that's not the worst part. The worst part is that Daniel heard her, looked right at me as she was saying these things, and he didn't care. He didn't try to stop her or try to defend me. I don't know why he wanted me to meet them. He should have known how she felt before." He threw his hands up in frustration. "Ugh! Why did I think that anyone who is biologically linked to me could actually CARE about me!? I'm a loser, I'm a nobody..."

Sharon couldn't help it when the tears came to her eyes. "Rusty…you are NOT. You are a smart, wonderful kid! Don't let ANYONE make you feel lesser than what you are! If he can't see how wonderful you are then he does NOT deserve you! Same thing goes for your mother!"

Rusty looked down, shaking his head as she moved closer to him. She placed her hand under his chin, forcing him to look at her. "Listen to me. You are NOT a loser and you are NOT a nobody. You are Rusty Beck, the teenage boy who waltzed into my life when I needed you the most and didn't even realize it. You are a straight A student and your best friend is Ryan from the Chess club. You make me breakfast and dinner, always thinking of someone else before you think of yourself. Do you see what they are missing? Do you?"

Rusty's eyes softened the more she spoke to him, and he just sniffles and nods. She smiles sadly at him. "I am proud to have you here, Rusty. I am so proud of you. We have each other to lean on, okay?"

He nods, and they are silent for a minute until he speaks up again. "Sharon?"

"Hmmm?"

"I want to stay here with you, okay?"

She nods, swallowing the lump in her throat. "Okay."

As Rusty reached over to hug her, it was at that moment she realized that today, one of the craziest days ever, ended up being one of the greatest days of her life.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Well, we've reached the end of the line, folks. I hope you like this final chapter. I had fun writing this story and I am glad you all enjoyed it so much. Maybe there will be another story in the future, maybe not. All I know is, this was a great experience and I can't thank you enough. But as you know, all good things must come to an end!**

It was early the next morning when Sharon's buzzer went off, signaling that she had a visitor downstairs. She smiled to herself. It could only be Andy, checking up on her and Rusty. She got up off of the sofa, placing her cup of coffee on the coffee table before walking to the call buttons, pressing the "door" button to let him upstairs.

She quickly checked out herself in the mirror, figuring she looked presentable as she could in her bathrobe and slippers. Shit. Coffee breath! She grabbed her breath spray out of her purse and sprayed a few spritzes into her mouth, just in time to hear the knock at her door. She opened the door, stopping dead in her tracks when she saw who it was.

Daniel Dunn stood before her, his hands in his pockets. Instantly, Sharon's protective instincts came out. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to see my son."

"No. Do NOT call him that!" Sharon's voice was raised and went up an octave, her eyes blazing. "He is NOT your son!"

Daniel rolled his eyes, sighing in annoyance. "Look, Sharon…he is my son, and as a police officer you know that there is a little something called DNA that can prove all sorts of things, like the fact he is my son."

Sharon shook her head, not letting him come into her house. "On a piece of paper, and by blood, he may be. But no father would do to their son what you did to Rusty last night!" She takes a deep breath to calm herself down. "Rusty is asleep and he had a hard night last night. I don't want to wake him. I will tell him that you came, but I will not force him to call you. You don't deserve him. Please leave. Now."

Daniel sighed in defeat. "I am not going to fight for custody of him. It's clear it won't work out for either of us., but you better tell him I was here."

Sharon shook her head. "I never keep anything from him, Daniel. I will never betray him or make him feel less than he is, something you should have kept in mind last night." She backs away and closes the door, locking it behind her.

She leans against the door for a moment, taking a deep breath. This was the last thing she had needed this morning. She was grateful that Rusty was still asleep, so she pulled herself together and headed to the kitchen to make Rusty's favorite pancakes, hoping the smell would get him up. She figured she would tell him about Daniel's visit after he finished eating, having a feeling that when she told him about it he wouldn't have any appetite.

He walked into the kitchen and smiled at the sight of pancakes at the dining room table. "Morning."

Sharon turned to look at him, her eyes lighting up. "Morning! Help yourself to pancakes, I'll get your coffee ready."

"You don't have to…"

Sharon shook her head. "I insist. Hurry up before they get cold."

He shook his head and sat down, putting five pancakes on his plate and smothering them with butter and syrup. When they were finished eating, Sharon sighed and smiled sadly as he cleared the table and loaded the dishwasher.

Rusty could feel her eyes on him. "Sharon…what's going on?"

Sharon sighed. "Daniel Dunn paid me a visit this morning."

Rusty's eyes widened. "What? Why? What did he say?"

Sharon shrugged. "Said he wanted to talk to you, about what…I'm not sure. He told me that he wasn't going to fight for custody of you because he knew it wouldn't work out, and I told him you were asleep but that I would tell you that he was here." She sighed. "Honestly, I threw him out before I even let him in the door."

Rusty smiled a bit at her. "I don't think I'm going to call him back. I know where I belong now and I don't need to hear anything else from him or have anything left to say to him. Thanks for telling me he was here, though."

Sharon nods "Of course. You know I don't keep secrets from you."

"I appreciate that, Sharon." He reaches over to kiss her cheek. "Thank you…for everything."

Sharon smiles, ruffling his hair a bit. "You're welcome."

He heads on back to his room to shower and get ready for the day, while Sharon does the same.

She ended up getting called to a murder anyway, and Rusty assured her he would be fine while she was gone. She always hated leaving him there alone for extended periods of time and she told him that Ryan could come over for awhile to keep him company, which put a smile on his face. As she walked out the door, she felt relief washing over her at knowing that Rusty wanted to stay with her, and the fact that she was about to see Andy again, even if it was at a murder scene.

When she arrived at the scene, she and Andy barely got a second alone, just long enough for her to look him in the eyes and squeeze his hand quickly. Andy could tell that she was in a good mood, which lessened some of the anxious feeling he still had about the night before.

When they arrived back at the station, he was able to get her alone for a little while in her office. The blinds were closed and he immediately wraps his arms around her, kissing her senseless. She immediately responds, running her hands through his salt and pepper hair, until neither one of them could breathe and finally let go of the kiss.

Sharon remained in his arms as she caught her breath, smiling up at him as she played with the lapels of his jacket. "That was quite a hello, Lieutenant."

Andy smiles, but then his expression turned serious. "How's Rusty? What happened?"

Sharon frowns and sighs. "He's okay. Daniel's fiancé said some terrible things to him, and Daniel didn't do a thing about it. He made Rusty feel like he wasn't wanted and…I guess he isn't."

Andy sighs in frustration. "God, Sharon…I could beat the shit out of that guy."

Sharon nods. "I know, me too. But…Rusty and I talked last night and he is going to be okay. He told me he wanted to stay with me, and Daniel, who paid me a surprise visit this morning, said he wouldn't fight for custody of Rusty so, I think everything is going to be all right."

Andy smiles, hugging her close. "I'm glad. I told you that Rusty wouldn't give up on you, didn't I?"

She nods, taking in the smell of him and sighing contentedly. He kisses the top of her head. "Sharon…what are we going to do…I mean…about us?"

She pulls away to look up at him. "What do you want to do?"

Andy takes a deep breath, seeing the look of apprehension on her face. "I want to tell everyone how I feel about you, Sharon. I don't want to have to hide it. I understand keeping things professional here at work, at least when we aren't alone…" She smirks at this. "But I can't deny that I want you, I can't deny that…I'm falling in love with you."

Her eyes widen in surprise, but her expression softens almost immediately when she feels his finger trail along her jaw. "God, Andy…this is crazy….isn't it?"

Andy shrugs. "What's wrong with that?"

She shakes her head. "Nothing. Not a thing. It's just crazy to me that I'm falling in love with you, too."

He kisses her again, and she laughs a little then pulls back, giving him her most serious expression. "We have to tell everyone about this, Andy. I don't want to hide, either. But…we will be professional, won't we?"

He chuckles. "Yes, Captain. Aren't I always?"

She smiles, giving him one last kiss. "Let's get back to work Lieutenant."

After a few hours, they were all still hard at work at the station. There was a lull in activity and when Andy realized that the entire team was there, he seized his opportunity. He suddenly grabbed onto Sharon's hand and pulled her to the center of the room, facing the team in front of the whiteboard.

The simple action got their attention, but he put his hand up as if to quiet them all before they even uttered a word. "Guys, we have something to share with you and we don't want any comments about it, okay?"

Provenza grunted in response, while Julio, Buzz and Amy just gave each other concerned glances.

Andy squeezed Sharon's hand. "The Captain and I are dating. We are a couple. We will remain professional here at work, and just ask that you all respect the situation."

Provenza rolled his eyes. "Flynn…we get it. As a matter of fact, I really don't think any of us are surprised."

Sharon's eyes widened as all of them just shrugged and rolled their eyes, as if none of this was new to them. Amy finally stood up and gave Sharon a hug. "I'm happy for you, Captain."

Sharon smiled. "Thank you, Amy."

When Sharon looked up to her right, she saw Rusty walking into the office and her eyes lit up. "Rusty! What are you doing here?" she quickly went to him, noting the large bag he had with him.

He smiled sheepishly. "Made you all some stew. You've been here all day so I figured you would want some dinner."

Sharon just smiled and hugged him to her. "You are the sweetest boy in the world, you know that?"

Rusty blushed. "Sharon…everyone is watching."

Sharon laughed and pulled back from him as Andy approached them. Rusty shook his hand and Andy thanked him for the stew, taking the bag from him as they all grabbed the individual tupperware containers inside. Andy kept his arm around Sharon's shoulders as he took their stew into her office, Rusty in front of them as they walked in.

Once they sat down in the office, Sharon worked up the nerve to tell Rusty about her relationship with Andy. She was nervous, as she didn't know how he would react, but she was pleasantly surprised when Rusty stood up and shook his hand, as if welcoming Andy into their lives. It brought tears to her eyes as she watched them together.

And so they sat there, the three of them, eating stew in Sharon's office, talking and laughing about all sorts of things, almost like a real family. It made Sharon feel content and happy for the first time in a long time. She knew it was because of the two men in her life, and she knew she would feel grateful for both of them for the rest of her life.

**THE END.**


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